Akın Özkan

Akın Özkan

Strategy Manager | OKR Leader | Digital Product Transformation | 14 yrs Automotive & IT

Ataşehir, Istanbul, Türkiye
akin_ozkn@hotmail.com
+90 531 635 67 35
akinozkan.online
Driver's License: B, A2
Military: Completed (2019)

Professional Summary

Strategy Manager with 14 years of experience in automotive and IT, specializing in OKR (Objectives and Key Results) design, organizational alignment, and executive decision support. Experienced in partnering directly with senior leadership to establish governance routines, deploy strategic frameworks, and translate high-level objectives into measurable outcomes.

Skilled in leading quarterly business cycles, creating data-driven dashboards, and coordinating cross-functional teams to ensure clarity, focus, and strategic coherence across the organization. Recognized for structured problem solving, strong communication, and the ability to build scalable execution systems in complex environments.

Work Experience

Strategy Manager (IT)

Mercedes-Benz Otomotiv Ticaret ve Hizmetler A.S., Istanbul, Türkiye

2023 - Present
  • Designed and deployed the Corporate OKR framework, enabling strategic alignment across senior leadership, department heads, and 40+ team managers, improving quarterly goal clarity and execution discipline by 30-40%.
  • Partnered directly with the Head of Mercedes-Benz Tech Türkiye to coordinate executive priorities, leadership routines, and cross-functional alignment, reducing unresolved cross-team issues by ~25% per quarter.
  • Prepared monthly Board of Management and executive presentations, translating complex operational topics into clear, decision-oriented narratives for senior stakeholders.
  • Re-designed company-wide hybrid all-hands meetings (300+ employees) into interactive, gamified formats, increasing participation from 40-50% to 80%+ and improving feedback scores within two quarters.

LEAN Agile Center of Excellence Manager (IT)

Mercedes-Benz Otomotiv Ticaret ve Hizmetler A.S., Istanbul, Türkiye

2022 - 2023
  • Supported the global "Project to Product" transformation within the 12,000-employee Mercedes-Benz IT organization, acting as a local change leader connecting global strategy with implementation in Türkiye.
  • Led a 7-person team to adapt and scale lean-agile and product-centric practices across multiple IT units, contributing to a 20-30% increase in consistency and standardization of transformation activities.
  • Designed and facilitated workshops, awareness sessions, and discussion forums that raised leadership understanding and adoption of product-centric ways of working from below 20% to above 70%.

SRM Expert Process Manager (IT Development)

Mercedes-Benz Otomotiv Ticaret ve Hizmetler A.S., Istanbul, Türkiye

2018 - 2022
  • Part number management system manager for all Daimler AG plants.
  • Analysis of processes and creation of solution concepts.
  • Developed methodology for using existing solutions.
  • Testing and implementation of releases.
  • Coordinated with after-sales, purchasing, development, suppliers, production, IT units, and external developer companies.

Project Engineer (Bus Development Interior Trim)

Mercedes-Benz Otomotiv Ticaret ve Hizmetler A.S., Istanbul, Türkiye

2016 - 2018
  • Monitor and display scope responsible.
  • Developed new concepts while coordinating with internal and external units.
  • Took part in cost optimization for the bus interior trim team.

Deputy Chief Engineer

MBtech Muhendislik ve Danismanlik Ltd. Sti., Istanbul, Türkiye

2015 - 2016
  • Responsibility of the construction team.
  • Followed the working hours and projects of 30 colleagues.
  • Employee career planning and management.
  • Participation in board meetings.
  • Follow-up of new recruitments.
  • Training of SAP and Engineering Client programs.

Team Leader

MBtech Muhendislik ve Danismanlik Ltd. Sti., Istanbul, Türkiye

2013 - 2016
  • Following the projects of 16 colleagues in bus development interior equipment.
  • Follow-up of administrative processes.

Bus Development Interior Trim Engineer

MBtech Muhendislik ve Danismanlik Ltd. Sti., Istanbul, Türkiye

2011 - 2016
  • Driving Window Module (2015 - 2016): Designed new driver window module for double-decker bus, improved modules across all bus types, and followed tests.
  • Coordinator for Customer Special Request (01.2015 - 08.2015): Daily distribution of workloads for a 16-person team.
  • Floor System (2012 - 2013): Responsibility for buses manufactured in Ulm, Mannheim, and Istanbul; handled customer special requests.
  • Window System (2011 - 2012 & 2013 - 2016): Responsibility for buses manufactured in Ulm, Mannheim, and Istanbul; handled customer special requests.

Key Achievements

Corporate OKR Framework

Impact: +30-40% execution discipline

Designed and deployed the Corporate OKR Framework, enabling strategic alignment across senior leadership, department heads, and 40+ team managers.

Executive Governance Alignment

Impact: ~25% fewer unresolved issues

Partnered directly with the Head of Mercedes-Benz Tech Türkiye, coordinating priorities and leadership routines across departments.

Hybrid All-Hands Redesign

Impact: 80%+ participation

Re-designed company-wide hybrid all-hands meetings (300+ employees) into interactive, gamified formats, improving engagement within two quarters.

Project to Product Transformation

Impact: adoption from <20% to >70%

Led a 12-month organizational change program, increasing leadership understanding and adoption of product-centric ways of working.

Digital Transformation @Scale

Impact: +20-30% standardization

Acted as a change agent in the Lean Agile Center of Excellence, enabling digital and agile practices across multiple IT units.

Horizon 2020 EU Grant

Impact: €262,500 secured

Led the research and application process for a multi-layer plastic recycling project, the first successfully funded EU project within MBT Bus Development.

Education

Mechanical Engineering PhD

Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye | GPA: 3.50 / 4.00

2016 - Present

Thesis: Examination of multi-layer structures first separating and then recycling

Mechanical Engineering MSc

Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Türkiye | GPA: 3.19 / 4.00

2012 - 2015

Thesis: Textile air duct design and analysis in city buses

Mechanical Engineering BSc

Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Türkiye | GPA: 2.59 / 4.00

2006 - 2011

Thesis: Shell and tube heat exchanger design, analysis and optimization

Erasmus Exchange

Hochschule Bremen, Bremen, Germany | GPA: 3.50 / 4.00

2009 - 2010

High School

Torbalı Anatolian High School, Izmir, Türkiye | GPA: 5.00 / 5.00

2002 - 2006

Skills & Expertise

Strategy & Management

  • OKR Design & Implementation
  • Strategic Planning
  • IT-Business Alignment
  • Change Management
  • Lean-Agile Methodologies (SAFe)

Engineering & Design

  • Siemens NX 10.0
  • Catia V5
  • SAP
  • Star CCM+

Digital & Analytical

  • Python
  • MS Office (Advanced)
  • Process Analysis
  • C-Level Reporting & Executive Summaries
  • Roadmap Development

Soft Skills

  • Strategic Stakeholder Management
  • Change Leadership & Facilitation
  • Analytical Problem Solving
  • Mentoring & Knowledge Transfer
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration

Languages

  • English: Business Fluent (C1)
  • German: Upper-Intermediate (B2)
  • Turkish: Native

Certifications & Trainings

Project Management

Leadership

Situational Leadership

Mentoring

ICP-ACC Agile Coaching

ICP-ATF Agile Team Facilitation

PSPO Professional Scrum Product Owner

SAFe Agilist

Design Thinking

SQL

ISTQB Foundation Level

International Test Automation

Application Development with Python

Practical Data Science with Python

APIs and API Design with Python

IIBA CBAP Business Analysis Management

ITIL 4.0 Foundation

ITIL4 MP Create Deliver Support

Presentation Skills

Siemens NX 9.0

Hobbies & Interests

Freediving

PADI 1* Freediver

Scuba Diving

CMAS 1* Open Water Diver

Photography

Solo Exhibition: "Cevizlik Town from My Eyes"

Scrabble

Izmir Regional Championship (English)

Documentary

Short Film: "When it was mulberry tree"

References

References can be shared upon request.

My Motto: Turning Strategy into Measurable Impact!